Annie Penn's Family

William H. Penn

Article from the London Free Press - Title - Became Coronation Tune
[ Research by Ed Manning, expert on the early days of recording, has revealed that this country, and particularly Western Ontario, has produced writers of popular and sacred song. The titles that have come from their pens may come as a surprise to many. ] By Ed Manning

In the mid 1800’s a former British bandmaster, William Penn, came to Upper Canada and settled in in London. He belonged to the same family that gave another William Penn to the new world, the man who established the colony of Pennsylvania, which translated, really means Penn’s Woods. William Penn’s son, another William, when quite young, devoted himself to music, and he could play any instrument. He could also sing quite well , and for some years was a member of the choir or one of the Wesleyan Methodist churches in London. In his spare moments he wrote songs, often both the words and the melody, and when he thought they were worth while, he sent them on to various publishers. One of these was the Honeysuckle and the Bee written in 1901, a song that had a tremendous run, introduced and featured in Great Britain by the famous Ellaline Terrias, who introduced the song in the musical Bluebell in Fairyland in 1901. William Penn always was proud of the fact that the British band that led the coronation procession of Edward VII in 1902,. Used the Honeysuckle and the Bee as a marching tune. Other Penn songs like Cuddles composed in 1915 were popular in their day, but are now largely forgotten.

Second Article October 3, 1975 – London Youth Choir Article - Inset Paragraph What about “The Honeysuckle and the Bee?”

Here is a song that had a tremendous run, due mainly to the fact that a British band that led “ the coronation procession of Edward VII in 1902 used it as a marching tune.” Perhaps the fact that it was written by a son of a a former British bandmaster, had something to do with its selection. At all events, it was the work of the late William Penn, son of William Penn who came to London as bandmaster of the twenty third Welsh Fusiliers, and who was well known to thousands of London Old Boys as caretaker of the old Union School, in the days of “Barney” Boyle and “Nick” Wilson. The entire Penn family were musical . They belonged to the same English family that gave William Penn to the New World, the man who established the colony of Pensylvania , which translated realty means “Penn’s Woods”. While young “Bill” Penns father was looking after the old Union School , “Bill” devoted himself to music, and he could play any instrument. He could also sing quite well, and for some years he was a member of the choir of the old Wesleyan Methodist Church on Pall Mall Street. But he left home when quite young and married in the United States. When he died he was a an employee of the Studebaker Corporatio at South Bend, Indiana, and but few people were aware of the fact that he was a songwriter of note. In his spare moments he was always writing songs, both the words and the melody, and when he thought they were worth while, he sent them on to various publishers. One of these was the “The Honeysuckle and the Bee” and while it made some money for the former Londoner, it made more for the publishing house. A number of his relatives still reside in London amoungst them being Mrs. Thos Fortner , a sister of 59 Wharncliffe Rd South, London.

My Comments - This article would have to have been based on something written before Annie Penn Fortner’s death in 1932. It was James Penn b. ca 1823 who came to London with the 23rd Welsh Fusiliers. He worked at the old Union School. His son William married Mary Bush here in Middlesex County, Ontario. The William H. Penn this article refers to would have been a grandson of James Penn. Likely William and Mary Bush’s son.